Eleven!!!

I am a little behind but I wanted to get this posted! Mason celebrated his eleventh birthday this past December 15th!! I am still wondering what happened to the time...one minute I am holding this sweet, tiny baby in my arms and the next, it has been over a decade and he is almost as tall as I am and experiencing so many wonderful things in his own life. Mason was sent first to our family for a reason! He has always been patient with us and his siblings and I know that it was not a mistake that he came first in our line of children. In honor of Mason's eleven years, I thought I would list eleven things that I love, appreciate and admire about him:
1.He is VERY Patient!! I don't understand that type of patience because I do not have any.
2. He is so very happy! Rarely does he have a scowl on his face or is he negative!
3. He is so stinkin' smart!! He figures things out in his mind long before I have the answer a lot of the time.
4. He enjoys a challenge. Whatever it is he is doing, Mason attacks it head on and wants to get it done.
5. Mason knows who he is! He makes no apologies and expects others to accept him the way he is! What I wouldn't give for that kind of strength!
6. Mason loves sports and because he is related to me, I am surprised at how shockingly coordinated he is and that he seems to pick up on sports without a whole lot of effort! That is not inherited from me!
7. Mason enjoys his friends but I have started to notice that he really does look for the kids who aren't playing with anyone and he really tries to get them involved in whatever his group is doing. Once again, another trait he did not get from my shy personality.
8. Mason has a testimony of the Gospel. He shares it and I wonder how he is so strong so young, then I thank my lucky stars as I look at the world today and what he and my other children have to face, that they want to be strong at such a young age.
9. Mason has a very soft heart but he knows how to joke around and be fun! He doesn't bruise easily and he helps us to laugh when things get hard!!
10.Mason takes such good care of his brothers and sister! If I have to leave for a few minutes, I know that things will be fine if I leave Mason in charge. What a relief it is for a parent to know that someone responsible is there in case of an emergency or a quick errand!
AND #11: Mason is such a cute kid, who loves to be a kid! He is no hurry to grow up and still loves when I pick him up at school or spend time in his class. He hasn't outgrown having a mom around sometimes and I appreciate that more than he will ever know! I love him tons and am so glad he came to our family eleven years ago!